estrange
C1Formal, Literary
Definition
Meaning
To cause someone to feel alienated or no longer close, especially within a previously affectionate or familial relationship.
To remove, separate, or distance oneself from a familiar environment, habit, or belief system.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily refers to a gradual process of emotional distancing, often implying a breakdown of affection or trust. Most commonly used in the past participle form 'estranged' (e.g., an estranged husband).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or grammatical usage.
Connotations
Equally strong connotations of emotional separation and formal alienation in both dialects.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British English in certain formal/literary contexts, but the difference is marginal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
estrange [sb] from [sb/sth] (object + from-phrase)estrange oneself from [sb/sth] (reflexive + from-phrase)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “an estranged bedfellow (rare, formal)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. May appear in formal reports about partnership breakdowns: 'The dispute estranged the two founding partners.'
Academic
Used in psychology, sociology, and literary criticism to describe social or familial alienation.
Everyday
Primarily used to describe broken family relationships, especially marital or parental.
Technical
Not typically used in technical fields outside of specific socio-psychological contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- His political views began to estrange him from the party's core membership.
- She took care not to estrange her colleagues with her abrupt manner.
American English
- His fanatical devotion to work eventually estranged him from his family.
- The scandal estranged the senator from her longtime supporters.
adjective
British English
- He hasn't spoken to his estranged son in over a decade.
- The will divided assets between the widow and the estranged siblings.
American English
- She tried to reconnect with her estranged father.
- The estranged couple attended the wedding separately.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- They became estranged after the big argument.
- He is estranged from his parents.
- His radical ideas estranged him from his more conservative friends.
- Years of misunderstanding had left the sisters completely estranged.
- The memoir details how the author's success inadvertently estranged her from her humble origins.
- A series of bitter legal battles served only to estrange the business partners further.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: E-STRANGE. To make someone feel like a STRANGER (E- = to make).
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONAL DISTANCE IS PHYSICAL SEPARATION (e.g., 'grow apart', 'drift away').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'странный' (strange/odd). The Russian equivalent is чаще 'отдалять(ся)', 'разобщать', or the adjective 'отчуждённый'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it without 'from' (e.g., 'He estranged his brother' is less common than 'He estranged himself from his brother' or 'He became estranged from his brother').
- Confusing 'estranged' (currently alienated) with 'ex-' (former). An 'estranged wife' is still legally a wife, but an 'ex-wife' is divorced.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'estrange' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while most common for family (especially spouses), it can be used for friends, colleagues, groups, or even one's former self or homeland.
They are very close synonyms. 'Estrange' often implies a prior close relationship turning distant. 'Alienate' can happen without a prior close bond and has a stronger sense of causing hostility or indifference.
Yes, but it's less common than the past participle 'estranged'. The present tense often describes an ongoing action or a general truth (e.g., 'Constant criticism will estrange a child').
It is used in legal contexts (e.g., 'estranged spouse') but is not a precise legal status like 'divorced'. It describes the relationship's factual condition, not its legal standing.